Removing asbestos from schools in Wales would be likely to cost hundreds of millions of pounds, according to information released by local authorities.

Removing asbestos from schools in Wales would be likely to cost hundreds of millions of pounds, according to information released by local authorities.

The substance, at one time a mainstay of most construction projects, has been linked to serious diseases including cancer for many years.

While only two councils provided cash estimates of the cost to them, Plaid Cymru said the details it had obtained following Freedom of Information requests confirmed that the task of making all schools asbestos-free was “wholly impractical”.

Denbighshire estimated it would cost between £6m and £8m to remove asbestos from its schools while Carmarthenshire forecast that asbestos removal would cost £2.587m with an additional £3m for reinstatement.

Other councils provided details that gave further indications of the scale of the challenge. Swansea council, for example, said as many as 99% of its 122 schools are presumed to contain asbestos.

It also emerged that Cardiff council has paid out £738,088 over the last decade in settlement of 26 asbestos-related claims. There was no indication in the released documents which premises the claims related to.

Meanwhile a single pay-out by Flintshire council topped £250,000.

In just over two weeks time the National Assembly’s all-party group on asbestos will hold its first meeting.

Plaid Cymru education spokesman Simon Thomas, a member of the cross-party group, said: “Two councils have estimated asbestos removing and reinstatement costs at up to £13m between them, and neither are the big local authorities like Cardiff, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Swansea

“Every school in Wales should have had an asbestos survey and all should hold an asbestos register. This document should be readily available and updated when appropriate. The head teacher will be made aware of any asbestos present, which will be sealed, marked and labelled accordingly.

“If any contractor enters the school, they are required to request the register and be made aware of what asbestos is present. Since 1996, no new schools should have been built with any form of asbestos. However, this does not rule out the potential for it, if any repairs are done with old material. Furthermore, although litigation may differentiate between different types of asbestos, the construction industry does not and treats all types the same.

“It is wholly impractical to remove all asbestos from schools in Wales or anywhere else, as it would literally cost a fortune. In the interest of safety we need to assess the risk and if it is discovered, seal, label, register and monitor –as is required under the law – to ensure there is no risk. It is only removed when it is impractical to seal it. Actually removing it when it’s in a sealed and stable condition would in reality make it far more dangerous.”

Other details released to Plaid Among responses from the 22 Welsh local authorities show that all 12 high schools in Flintshire contain asbestos, as well as 46 of the 74 primary schools.

In Monmouthshire 70% of schools had white, brown and a small number of instances of blue asbestos

In Neath Port Talbot 72 of the 88 schools contain asbestos material.

Newport council said it has removed asbestos from 43 schools since 1996, with 53 schools still containing it.

In Swansea, 99% of the 122 school buildings are presumed to have asbestos, while Vale of Glamorgan has 56 schools with various forms of the substance.

A Welsh Government spokesman said: “As the Minister advised in his statement to Plenary in November, it is not practicable to remove asbestos from every school in Wales on a blanket basis. Asbestos is safe if undisturbed and schools should work closely with their respective local authorities to ensure that appropriate health and safety plans are in place for staff, pupils and visitors.

“The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has always maintained that the best approach for asbestos in sound condition and not likely to be damaged is to leave it well alone, protect it and manage it to prevent damage and exposure to asbestos.

“The Welsh Local Government Association, local authorities and the HSE meet regularly and work collaboratively to ensure understanding of the legal requirements and implementation of a risk based approach for the management of asbestos and we would urge them to continue with this working approach but with greater diligence.”

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